Dreaming of My Love
by Charlotte Kutaway
Summary: Joseph and Clarisse, post marriage. Valentines Day one shot


TITLE: DREAMING OF MY LOVE

RATED: T

DISCLAIMER : I don't own The Princess Diaries or its characters and I don't make any money from this story. Only the original characters, plots and ideas belong to me.

SUMMARY : One Shot. The Princess Diaries: Clarisse/Joe. I went in a little different direction, for me, and had this take place quite a bit after the second movie.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: This was made for Joseph as a **valentine's** gift.

Genovia, 2011

Joseph sat on the terrace looking up at the stars. What a beautiful night it was. Of course the beauty would have been so much more impressive if his wife had been sitting beside him. She was absent however, and he must cope the best he could. He took a sip of his brandy and enjoyed the smells of the summer air all the same. He couldn't help but wonder what smells she was smelling, if she was amused at this moment, involved in interesting discussion or itching to escape.

It wasn't that they had never been separated of course. They had been married for seven years, and while Clarisse was no longer the ruling queen, she did still have duties to her country, as he did as well.

She went on trips without him quite regularly. Although they were generally brief. Because, although she had never admitted it to him or anyone else, she hated not sleeping next to him at night.

However, they had never been apart on their anniversary, which was tonight. He did not blame her of course. It was an important event. She had to attend. She had been the member of the royal family invited and so she went. No questions asked. Of course, as her husband, he had been invited as well, but he had to stay in Genovia. The new security system was being put in this weekend and there was no way he would not be here to unofficially oversee it.

"Grampy Joey!", a tiny voice called, interrupting his thoughts.

"Ah! There's my girl!", he said as Amelia's daughter, Annie, jumped up and sat in his lap.

"Whatcha doin Grampy? You look sad"

"Hey, me... no way!", he fibbed, as he bounced the curly haired four-year-old on his lap, "Isn't it almost your bedtime?"

"I got to stay up late because mommy had to work late and she wanted to play with me before bed"

"Oh, I bet she did kiddo. So, what's new? Would you like me to come read you a story in your room?"

"No thanks. I already told Daddy he could"

"You did, did you? I don't know about your daddy. He seems to get all the pretty girls in this family to spend time with him and not me!", Joseph teased.

"Not Great Grandma!"

"No, you're right. Great Grandma likes me best", he said with a smile.

"I have to go. I was just supposed to kiss you goodnight and come back for my story"

"Ah, alright then", he said, giving her a kiss on the forehead, "Who loves you?"

"You do Grampy!", she said hugging him. He asked her this every night.

"Hey, you got it right kid!"

"That is entirely unfair!", a familiar voice said, from the door to the terrace which led in to the house, "I have been away. Don't I get the hugs and kisses?"

"Great Grandma!", Annie said, running to Clarisse, "You're home!"

"Oh!", Clarisse said, as her little great granddaughter almost knocked her over. She knelt down then and hugged the child, as she smiled over Annie's shoulder at Joseph, "I have missed you my love. Have you missed me?", she asked Annie.

"Yes, I HAVE!"

"I see, well that's good news... and have you been taking good care of the old man here?", she said, gesturing to Joseph.

"Yep, we played dolls this afternoon"

"Oh, my! What fun!", she replied, trying not to look too amused. She found it rather sweet that her clad in black, martial arts trained husband, who she was quite sure could kill a man with his bare hands, would play with pink puffy skirted ballerina and princess dolls.

"I missed you Great Grandma, but I have to go to bed now... Papa's waiting"

"Alright my love", she said, giving the child a kiss, "Goodnight. Tell Nicholas to read you the new book I got you about the fairy princess"

"Alright. I love you!", Annie said, kissing Clarisse and skipping away.

"What about me, do I get a kiss?", Joseph asked, thinking she looked beautiful in her white pant suit.

"Oh, I suppose!", she said, crossing the terrace too meet him.

He embraced her immediately, burying his nose in her hair, "I missed you"

"I missed you too. Happy anniversary", she replied, leaning back so he could see her.

"You remembered"

"Do I ever forget?"

"No, my darling. You never do", he said as he kissed her. Slowly at first, but then he pulled back, smiled at her, and took her face in his hands to kiss her properly.

She melted in his sweet kisses, which ended much too quickly, "Have I told you lately how much I love this beard?"

"On a daily basis", he said, honestly, "You prefer the beard over the goatee, and you prefer my hair gray"

"Yes, but have I told you how sexy I find it?"

"I could tell", he said with a grin, taking her hand, "let's go up to our suite"

"In a bit, yes... but I have not seen Amelia yet. I would like to say...", she began. She was silenced when his hand ran up the front of her blouse, "Although... I will see her in the morning"

He gave her a cheeky smile, "I am glad I can still drive you wild after seven years of marriage. Whoever came up with the seven year itch never met us"

"I believe you'll always drive me wild. In fact I wold bet my life on it. You do realize I jumped through several impossible hoops to get back here to you tonight?"

"Thank you for doing that", he said, kissing her again and removing his hand from under her shirt as they walked hand in hand back into the house.

"It was purely for selfish reasons", she replied.

"Because you didn't want to sleep alone for the third night in a row? Admit that you miss me when are apart at night"

"I admit to nothing", she said with a smile, as they climbed the last of the stairs and entered their own suite.

They said goodnight to Clarisse's lady's maid, who was just letting herself out after having prepared some things for her majesty for the morning. Joseph locked the door behind her and turned to his wife.

"Alright", she said as they both undressed on their way to the bedroom, leaving a trail of clothing behind them, "I admit it", she said as she reached the bed and got in, only her undergarments remaining.

"Do you really?", he asked as he slid into bed next her.

"Yes", She said, finding her way to his arms where they began kissing, "Right here... In bed... With you... This is home... and... my favorite part of the day"

"Well...", he said in between their kisses, "That... makes two of us your majesty"

THE END


End file.
